1 98 THE COURT OF THE SIKH SOVEREIGNS,
2 must be now upwards of sixty years old. The
3 sketch given of him in Capt. O.'s book is not
4 unlike ; though the eye is a little too large, and
5 has too placid an expression. However obscure
6 may be his origin, this remarkable man has
7 played a distinguished part in the afiairs of the
8 Punjaub for the last thirty years, adding astro-
9 logy to his knowledge of quack salving. He is
10 possessed of considerable literary accomplish-
11 ments, is well read in Persian history and poetry,
12 is a good Arabic scholar, and fond of collecting
13 manuscripts, in which he is said to drive a pri-
14 vate trade. The expression of his countenance is
15 remarkably, though not unpleasantly, astucious ;
16 his features still handsome; in stature he is short;
17 in figure undignified. He is one of the most
18 agreeable men, when not talking for a direct ob-
19 ject (his talk is never objectless) ; he is full of
20 anecdote, and of quaint and pithy sayings, such
21 as the apologues of eastern wisdom abound with;
22 they are, he says, " distiches" and " couplets," but
23 these are frequently like the " old poem" of our
24 great novelist, invented by himself. To give an
25 idea of them, the following favourite saying with
26 him, when upon the eternal subject of man's fore-
27 sight, as opposed to the predestination of events—*
28 " Council is like the dice ; Fate like the mark
29 Upon the board ; it is within your hand ;
30 Yet for all that 'tis not within your hand.''